Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-01
WHEAT CULTURE.
THE IMMENSELY OF THAT INTER.
EST IN CALIFORNIA.
Description of the Tilling of the Soil,
the Seeding and Harvesting in
the Sacramento Valley.

DDS and processes are so unlike those of the
other States of the Union, that no compari-
SONS can be made. The crop for the past
year has been placed at 100000 tons,
and even higher. The average production
per acre is small, but the aggregate produc-
ton is large. In 1879 the amount of land
in wheat is reported to have been !, 1872, 429
acres. This has been largely increased in
the succeeding years. In some portions of
of production is light, and the method ex-
ceptional so that comparisons of profits
from these figures drawn from statistics
of yield elsewhere, may be, misleading.
The production of wheat per head in some
OF the counties is enormous, being above
100 bushels in a number of counties, rising
TO a maximum of about GAG bushels per
head in Colusa county.
The wheat is grown entirely in the val
leys or upon a few of the foothills, the
major portion being in the great central
valley. The climate over the whole wheat
region Is one in which the ground is
RARELY II EVER FROZEN IN WINTER,
And almost the entire rainfall is during
the interval be.w een the LIST of November
and the 1st of May. The growing season
of the crop is therefore the time of the
year when in the other wheat regions of
the United States it Is winter. None of
this region was originally forest clad. It
more reSembled the prairie region of the
West except that the native vegetation is
mostly of annual species.
THE SOIL Is EXCEEDINGLY RICH
In all that pertains to the mineral constit-
uents OF fertility, but does not contain so
much vegetable matter as the soils of equal
fertility in colder climates
In Los Angeles, where the wheat is liable
TO suffer for lack of rain, but where, never
theless, its culture is on the increase in the
valleys, the San Francisco ranch may be
taken as a sample. The ground is plowed
by gang plows, and sown broadcast, at the
rate of 40 pounds per acre. 1t is claimed
by some of the largest wheat-growers that
this amount is better than more; that in
the drier years there is not moisture enough
IL the soil to bring larger amount TO ma
turity. The wheat is thoroughly cleaned
before sowing, and all treated with sulphate
of copper (bluestone) at the rate OF three
pounds OF the crystal per ton of wheat. Il
is preferable to SOW Just after the earliest
rains have begun but if they are long de-
layed, then the
GRAIN IS sowN ON THE DRY 5RoUND.
That sown after the 1st of December is
usually plowed in; that sown before is har-
rowed in, the earlier being considered the
best as q whole. The sowing of wheat may
be said to extend from the middle of No
Vember to the 1st Of February, and of bar
ley from the same time in the fall until the
middle of February or the LIST of March.
The harvesting IS done entirely by headers,
the harvest men being employed for the
time being and living Ill camps in the
fields. The grain is either thrashed as il is
first cut, or first stacked and then thrashed,
according to the convenience of the oper-
stOr. IWelVe-foot headers are used, six
horses or mules TO each header, one such
header cutting from fifteen to twenty acres
per day. Three header-wagOns are usually
used for each header, each drawn by two
animals, or four if the ground is soft and
billy The number of men in a crew
varies with the local conditions. The
header-wagons are unlnaded at the stack
by horsepower. A netting of peculiar
arrangement is laid in the box Of the
header-wagon before loading, and by
suitable arrangement Of ropes and derrick
THE WHOLE LOAD IS LIFTED
Bodily by horsepower, and swung on the
stack An average crew TO operate four
headers and four header wagons will he
composed OF % men, who will work 81
animals and they will cut and stack from
30 10 100 acres of wheat per day. Thrash
ing is done on this ranch by the steam
thrasher, in which gang of seventeen men
and twelve horses is used, as follows One
engineer, one fireman, one oiler, two feed
ers, two forBmen to handle to the feeder
two drivers, to work the horse forks, one
sackman, one sack-tender, one Water-Car-
rier, one straWbuck and two laborers.
Twelve horses are used, six to the water
wagon, four to the fork, and two to the
strawbuek, which hauls the straw to the
engine.
The Odessa wheat is the variety most
cultivated in the southern portion of Cali
tornia, although numerous varieties are
found. In many parts of the Sacramento
valley
FLOWING Is DONE WITH GANG FLOWS,
Six or eight plows in gang, with which
one man can pillow ten acres per day. With
steam thrashers, 40-inch cylinder, 1000 to
200 sacks Of 24 bushels each per day are
thrashed.
In the Kern valley region, Mussel slough
region, and some other places, considera-
BILE wheat is grown by irrigation. The
crops are very large, and the quality ex-
ceedingly good.
The late Or. Glenn, of Cslusa county is
said to have been the largest wheat grower
acres, the value of a single crop often being
worth q 81 ,000, GOO. Club is the favorite va.
riety of wheat on this ranch. 1t is the
most popular, because it does not shell out
with dry winds if not cut as soon as ripe
a portion of the land is summer fallowed
and in that case the ground is broken a
any time during the wet season,
FROM AUTUMN UNTIL JUNE.
IF Moved before April il is replowec
before the next sowing. The most OF the
blowing is done with a gang sulky pillow
two plows in the gang and four acres PEI
day are plowed on the average, eight in
ches deep, with one man and eight horses
They begin to SOW on the dry soil in Sep
TENDER if entirely ready, and continue
sowing up to February 10Th if practicable
preferring to SOW after the first showers
say during the first half of November
Because Of the greater rspidity of WORK
they use exclusively a broadcast sower
Two men with one of those machines viii
SOW 100 acres per day, which will be har.
roWed in by seven harrows, each drawn by
eight horses. On this place 80 pounds o.
seed IS sown on summer fallow, and 10(
pounds for the February sown. All OF tbs
seed is treated with sulphate of copper
ibluestonel at the rate of three or foul
pounds per ton. All the cutting is done
with headers, sixteen feet in length. Thre,
header wagons are used with each header
If nets are used tor unloading. The grair
is al
THRAsHED As IT - HEADED,
Unless It may be that small portions ar,
weedy and the weeds need curing. Thu
average for each 1e-foot header is about q
acres per day.
With 44-inch cylinder and 26-horse
power engine. from five to seven headers
Sre used with the 40-inch cylinder foul
TO six headers. The ordinary crew tina
accompanies 44-ineh msehlne, with DC
horsepower engine, is as follows Sever
headers with ~ animals and IA men 2
hesder wagons, with 40 animals and Q
men. At the machine, 16 pitchers, l sep
arator-man, oiler, l engineer, l fireman,
derrick-man with horses, man to han
die the hooks, 2 straw bHekers with
horses, , sack-sewers, saek-hllers, sack
buckers. 1 riding boss with horse, and
,,.at-- -o,-l with ( horses The enpines